Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Used to be treated as a suborder of Neuroptera but now treated as a separate order within the clade Neuropterida.
=Rhaphidioptera Navás, 1916
=Raphidioptera Martynov, 1938
Explanation of Names
Raphidioptera Handlirsch, 1908
from the Greek ῥαφῐ́δος (rhaphῐ́dos) 'needle' + πτερόν (pterón) 'wing, feather'
Numbers
2 families with 3 genera and 22 spp in our area;
(1) ~260 extant spp. total
Raphidiidae
1. Agulla: 17 spp.
2. Alena: 2 spp.
Inocelliidae
3. Negha: 3 spp.
Identification
Immatures
Snakefly larvae can be confused with campodeiform beetle larvae but lack terminal appendages. Raphidiid larvae have 7 simple eyes on each side
vs 4 (incl. 2 minute ones) in Inocelliidae
(2)
Larvae
Pupa
Adults
Adults are similar to
Neuroptera but with elongate
prothorax. Females can be easily distinguished by the presence of long tail-like
ovipositor (not a stinger - snakeflies are harmless to humans!)
♀ ♂
Overview of Families
Adults of the two families can be distinguished as follows:
Raphidiidae: ocelli present; forewing with pterostigma bisected by a veinlet; head usually (but not always) more kite-shaped
Inocelliidae: ocelli absent; forewing pterostigma not bisected; head with sub-rectangular with parallel sides
Inocelliidae Raphidiidae
Range
In our area, western, with most spp. west of the Rockies
Habitat
All sorts of arboreal/shrub habitats (in northern temperate zone from sea level to timberline.) Inocelliidae and a part of the Raphidiidae probably develop under bark. The majority of Raphidiidae have larvae that live in superficial layers of soil, particularly in the detritus around the roots of shrubs, sometimes in rock crevices.
(3)Food
Larvae feed on eggs and larvae of various insects and on minute arthropods (e.g. mites, springtails, barklice, and homopterans). Adults typically prefer aphids. Adults of at least some species can also feed on sugary substances. They take the effort to clean themselves after feeding. Females have been observed to frequently wag the ovipositor while eating.
(2)Life Cycle
The egg stage lasts from a few days to 3 weeks; the larval phase lasts at least a year, 2‒3 yrs in most species (up to 6 under experimental conditions). The number of larval instars varies around 10–11, up to 15 or more. The prepupal stage lasts a few days. Pupation (usually) in spring, lasts from a few days to ~3 weeks. A period of low temperature (around 0°C) is needed to induce pupation.
(3)Remarks
larvae can run fast both forward and backwards ‒
video
The Mesozoic diversity of the Raphidioptera was much richer
(3)Print References
Aspöck H., Aspöck U., Rausch H. (1991) Die Raphidiopteren der Erde. Goecke & Evers, Krefeld. Vol. 1, 730 pp. Vol. 2, 550 pp.
Aspöck H. (1998) Distribution and biogeography of the order Raphidioptera: updated facts and a new hypothesis. Acta Zool. Fenn. 209: 33–44.
Aspöck U. (1974) Die Raphidiopteren der Nearktis (Insecta, Neuropteroidea). Dissertation. Univ. Wien 1974: 1‒238.
